Effects of oral contraceptives to bone mineral density of young women

The influence of consumption of contraceptives to female body’s hormones could affect bone formation. The purpose of this study was to assess any possible change in bone density of young women who were taking oral contraceptives, compared with those who were not. Women who participated in this study were 18-25 years old and were divided into two groups, experimental and control. Contraceptive tablets containing 20 μgrs ethinyl estradiol and 3 mgr drosperinonis were given to women of the experimental group for 21 days. Data necessary for every woman was recorded (weight, height, gynecological age, chronological age). Bone density was measured at the lumbar spine [O2-O4] and femoral neck with the DEXA method [DMS Challenger]. Measurements were taken at the beginning of the study and after the period of 12 and 24 months. Our study concluded that oral contraceptive use did not cause any significant change to bone density group of young women.

The Influence of Organized Physical Activity (Including Gymnastics) on Young Adult Skeletal Traits: Is Maturity Phase Important?

We prospectively evaluated adolescent organized physical activity (PA) as a factor in adult female bone traits. Annual DXA scans accompanied semiannual records of anthropometry, maturity, and PA for 42 participants in this preliminary analysis (criteria: appropriately timed DXA scans at ~1 year premenarche [predictor] and ~5 years postmenarche [dependent variable]). Regression analysis evaluated total adolescent interscan PA and PA over 3 maturity subphases as predictors of young adult bone outcomes: 1) bone mineral content (BMC), geometry, and strength indices at nondominant distal radius and femoral neck; 2) subhead BMC; 3) lumbar spine BMC. Analyses accounted for baseline gynecological age (years pre- or postmenarche), baseline bone status, adult body size and interscan body size change. Gymnastics training was evaluated as a potentially independent predictor, but did not improve models for any outcomes (p < .07). Premenarcheal bone traits were strong predictors of most adult outcomes (semipartial r2 = .21-0.59, p < .001). Adult 1/3 radius and subhead BMC were predicted by both total PA and PA 1-3 years postmenarche (p < .03). PA 3-5 years postmenarche predicted femoral narrow neck width, endosteal diameter, and buckling ratio (p < .05). Thus, participation in organized physical activity programs throughout middle and high school may reduce lifetime fracture risk in females.

Active Women before/after an Intervention Designed to Restore Menstrual Function: Resting Metabolic Rate and Comparison of Four Methods to Quantify Energy Expenditure and Energy Availability

It is hypothesized that exercise-related menstrual dysfunction (ExMD) results from low energy availability (EA), defined as energy intake (EI)—exercise energy expenditure (EEE). When EI is too low, resting metabolic rate (RMR) may be reduced to conserve energy.Purpose:To measure changes in RMR and EA, using four methods to quantify EEE, before/after a 6-month diet intervention aimed at restoring menses in women with ExMD; eumenorrheic (Eumen) active controls (n = 9) were also measured.Methods:Active women with ExMD (n = 8) consumed +360 kcal/d (supplement) for 6 months; RMR was measured 2 times at 0 months/6 months. EI and total energy expenditure (TEE) were estimated using 7-day diet/activity records, with EA assessed using four methods to quantify EEE.Results:At baseline, groups did not differ for age, gynecological age, body weight, lean/fat mass, VO2max, EI and EA, but mean TEE was higher in ExMD (58.3 ± 4.4kcal/kgFFM/d; Eumen = 50.6 ± 2.4; p < .001) and energy balance (EB) more negative (–10.3 ± 6.9 kcal/kgFFM/d; Eumen=-3.0 ± 9.7; p = .049). RMR was higher in ExMD (31.3 ± 1.8 kcal/kgFFM/d) vs. Eumen (29.1 ± 1.9; p < .02). The intervention increased weight (1.6 ± 2.0kg; p = .029), but there were no significant changes in EA (0-month range = 28.2–36.7 kcal/kgFFM/d; 6-month range = 30.0–45.4; p > .05), EB (6 months = –0.7 ± 15.1 kcal/kgFFM/d) or RMR (0 months = 1515 ± 142; 6 months = 1522 ± 134 kcal/d). Assessment of EA varied dramatically (~30%) by method used.Conclusions:For the ExMD group, EI and weight increased with +360 kcal/d for 6 months, but there were no significant changes in EB, EA or RMR. No threshold EA value was associated with ExMD. Future research should include TEE, EB and clearly quantifying EEE (e.g.,>4 MET) if EA is measured.

Functional Significance of Polycystic-Size Ovaries in Healthy Adolescents

Context: The relevance of adult polycystic ovary criteria to adolescence is unclear. Objective: The objective was to determine the functional significance of polycystic-size ovaries (PSO) in healthy adolescents. Design/Setting/Participants/Interventions: Healthy 11- to 18-yr-old postmenarcheal volunteers (n = 22) were recruited and divided into groups with normal size ovaries (VNSO; n = 10) or a polycystic-size ovary (VPSO; n = 12). They were secondarily compared with adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; n = 8) matched for gynecological age and a PSO. All underwent GnRH agonist (GnRHag), oral glucose tolerance, and ACTH1–24 testing in our General Clinical Research Center. Results: VPSO had a higher peak 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17PROG) response to GnRHag than VNSO (146 ± 14 ng/dl, mean ± sem, vs. 85 ± 11; P = 0.008), as well as larger ovaries (13.3 ± 0.7 cc vs. 8.5 ± 0.8 cc). VPSO peak 17PROG was elevated (&gt;137 ng/dl) in 42% (5 of 12). However, VPSO and VNSO androgen levels were similar, with the exception of one VPSO subject who had hyperandrogenemia and thus met criteria for PCOS. VPSO were similar to VNSO in LH, FSH, estradiol, and adrenal androgenic function. Although the VPSO group resembled the PCOS group in their 17PROG response to the GnRHag test, they differed in having significantly smaller ovaries and lower body mass index and in lacking evidence of peripheral androgen excess and of insulin resistance. Conclusion: A PSO in asymptomatic adolescents seems typically to be a normal variant. However, about half have a subclinical PCOS type of ovarian dysfunction; it is unknown whether this indicates a genetic carrier state or a risk for anovulation.

Urinary Free Cortisol Increases in Adolescent Caucasian Females during Perimenarche

Urinary free cortisol (UFC) excretion has been thought to be constant during female reproductive maturation when normalized for body surface area. We sought to determine whether there are longitudinal changes in urinary free cortisol excretion during perimenarche in adolescent females. We performed a longitudinal study of 24-h UFC excretion obtained at 6-month intervals over a 4-yr period in a cohort of 112 adolescent non-Hispanic white perimenarchal females from south central Pennsylvania. The overall mean values (mean ± sd) for UFC/24 h for all measurements between ages 12 and 17 yr was 67.4 ± 43.8 μg/24 h (to convert to nanomoles per day, multiply by 2.759). In our model, we found a significant positive association between UFC excretion with both gynecological age (P = 0.002) and chronological age (P = 0.0001). For every incremental increase in Tanner stage, the UFC/BSA increased by 3.0 μg/24 h per square meter. Correcting the UFC values by both creatinine and BSA creates a fairly constant number (6.3 ± 3.1 μg/mg per square meter per 24 h) over the age range 12–17 yr represented in this study. An increase in cortisol excretion may be part of normal reproductive maturation.